Dominic Thiem beat Rafael Nadal in straight sets to continue his unbeaten campaign at this year’s ATP Finals.
Both men helped deliver an exhilarating match with the Austrian emerging victorious from the high-quality affair after winning two tiebreakers — 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-4).
The Thrilling Performances
It’s just a shame no fans were in the arena to witness the encounter, with matches being played behind closed doors at the O2 Arena in London amid the pandemic.
Those watching from home were treated to a true spectacle though — the opening set alone lasted one hour and 12 minutes with both men making just 19 unforced errors between them.
“It was a great match from the first to the last point. I was pretty lucky to get the first set,” Thiem said after the match.
Thiem Was ‘Confident’
“I knew I had a slight advantage when I won the first set but I had to stay super focused. The atmosphere would have been unreal today I guess, but I hope that we put a very good show on for all the people who watched on TV.
“It’s very tough times at the moment, strict lockdowns in most of the countries as well as in Austria since today.
“So I really hope people enjoyed the match back home and they forgot a little bit for two hours, 30 minutes the tough times we’re living through right now.”
As of November 17, Austria is entering stricter lockdown measures with people only allowed to leave their homes for a specific reason, such as going to work, shopping for basic goods, and for medical appointments.
Bars, pubs and restaurants are now closed along with schools, with teaching being done remotely.
The new measures are scheduled to run until December 6, says the interior ministry.
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